


The Next Phone Call

by JustLookFrightenedAndScuttle



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Ficlet, M/M, following year 3 episode 9
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-17 07:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8135216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustLookFrightenedAndScuttle/pseuds/JustLookFrightenedAndScuttle
Summary: The phone call Jack receives after Bitty asks "Can we talk?"





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick ficlet from my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/justlookfrightened). As always, everything belongs to Ngozi. Including my gay-hockey-boy-loving soul.

Jack sat in the driver’s seat and stared at the phone in his hand.

Bitty had sounded so … broken when he said, “Can we talk?”

Jack had felt horror rise up in his throat, but he tried to keep his voice even when he said, “Of course, Bits. What is it?”

The horror climbing up from his gut dug its claws into his windpipe when Bitty said, “Not over the phone. I think this needs to be face-to-face.”

 _Crisse._ This had to be a break-up. What else would Bitty refuse to say on the phone? But he said, “Can we talk?” Not, “We need to talk.” Maybe there was hope. Maybe he could find out what he did and fix it. Maybe it wasn’t just that Bitty realized that he could do so much better than Jack.

“OK,” Jack said. “I’m still at the airport, so it’ll take me about an hour to get there.”

“No!" Bitty said, and now he sounded panicked. “No, Jack, you just got back and the weather’s terrible. I can come see you. This weekend. Neither of us have games on Sunday. I’ll come then. I’ll let you know which bus.”

“Bitty, I can come get you,” he said. “Just meet where we usually do.”

“No, I don’t want to make you drive all that way just for me,” Bitty said. “Please.”

Now Jack was afraid, and worried for Bitty, who sounded like he was going to cry. And there were the dozen or so missed calls, and the voice message Bitty told him not to listen to.

“Bitty, are you sure you’re OK? Whatever it is, you can tell me. This way, I’m just going to worry about you.”

“No, I’m … I’ll be OK. Don’t worry. See you Sunday.”

Jack wanted to listen to the voicemail even though Bitty asked him not to. He’d never said he wouldn’t, and maybe it would give him a clue as to what was wrong. Maybe he could fix it before Sunday. It wasn’t like he was never supposed to know. Bitty just wanted him to wait. Bitty wanted him to wait.

He was about to put the phone down when it rang in his hand. Maybe Bitty changed his mind and wanted him to come to Samwell after all.

No. Ransom. Why was Ransom calling him now?

“Hello? Ransom?”

“Hi, Jack. I’m gonna put you on speaker. Holster’s here too, and we need some captainly advice.”

“Uh, OK,” Jack said. “I just got off the plane and got soaked. Can I go home and change first?”

“Bro, this shouldn’t take long,” Holster said. “It’s just, how far do you think we should go into people’s personal problems?”

 _Merde._ “How do you mean? Like when Dex and Nursey were arguing all the time?”

“No, man,” Ransom said. “Like when something is obviously bothering someone, but they’re not saying anything. I mean, we’ve asked if there’s something wrong, made sure he knows we’re available to talk and everything. But he won’t say anything, and it’s affecting his play. I don’t think he’s sleeping enough, and he’s losing weight. And he didn’t have a lot to lose.”

_Osti de tabarnak._

“So if it’s affecting the team, I say we’re justified in leaning on him a bit harder,” Ransom said. “Giving him space doesn’t seem to be helping.”

“I don’t know, Rans,” Jack said. “You can’t really force someone into a confidence.”

“That’s what Shitty said,” Holster said. “And what I said, bro. No one can keep a secret like ...”

“Just so we’re all on the same page, who are we talking about?” Jack asked.

“OK, Jack, it’s Bitty,” Ransom said. “I don’t know if he’s in a bad relationship or what. Coach gets his grades so he’s not flunking out or anything. But something’s clearly bothering him, and it’s been going on for a few weeks at least.”

“Weeks?” Jack asked. How had he missed something that Ransom and Holster noticed? “Well, maybe give it another day or two, maybe through the weekend and see if changes. Is he baking a lot?”

“Yes,” Holster said.

“Well, he was,” Ransom said. “But Jack, earlier tonight? The little dude dropped a pie. He’s been locked in his room ever since.”

_Osti de calisse de tabanak._

“I’m on my way,” Jack said. “I’ll be there in an hour.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack turns up the Haus, and ... talk happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist trying to add to this before the update, when it will all be jossed.

Jack was pulling up outside the Haus in 55 minutes. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, and he was no longer dripping, but his hair was damp and falling in his eyes and his suit rubbed uncomfortably.

This whole situation was uncomfortable.

As soon as he stepped out of the car, Ransom opened the front door and waved. Jack looked up and saw Bitty’s lights were out before crossing the yard.

“So what's going on?” he asked quietly.

“Like I said before, it’s Bitty,” Ransom said. ”He’s just not himself. He smiles and everything when he knows people are watching him, but when he thinks he's alone, he looks sad. He's yawning through practice, and I haven't seen him sit down to eat a meal in a long time. He's always going off by himself and staring at his phone, and he's really careful to make sure nobody else sees it. That's why I thought maybe a bad relationship?”

Jack had to stop himself from saying that yes, it apparently was a bad relationship and it was all his fault if he didn’t know his boyfriend was suffering.

Instead, he said, “Maybe if I talk to him he’ll tell me what’s going on. For all his chatter, you know Bitty’s kind of a private person, and he doesn’t like people trying to push past what he shows the world.”

Even as he said it, he realized how true it was, and maybe that was one of the things he and Bitty had in common. But he didn’t know Bitty was keeping so much from him.

“That’s what I mean, Ransom,” Holster jumped in. “The more you poke at him, the more he withdraws. But he always liked Jack.”

Holster stopped short and looked at Jack, like he just realized he said something he shouldn’t.

“Tell me exactly what happened tonight,” Jack said.

“There were people here watching your game,” Holster said. “Shitty came out, and Nursey and Dex were here, so it was kind of crowded in the living room. Bitty was baking, but I think he really watched most of the game from the doorway. Anyway, we went upstairs after the game.”

“Shitty and Nursey were still here when the post-game analysis was on, and I guess they were talking shit about you again,” Ransom said, watching Jack for a reaction.

Jack just nodded. “Go on.”

“Well, Shitty said he and Nursey were talking about how people bring up the rumors about you and Kent Parson, because they want to see things go badly for you,” Ransom said.

“Come on, Rans, if you’re gonna say, say it,” Holster said. “Shitty said he and Nursey said they talk about you and Parson because they want to see you fuck up again. Then Bitty dropped the pie and said he was going upstairs to change his shirt and never came back. His door’s locked and when anybody knocks he just says to leave him alone.”

Jack stared at Holster. Really, they meant well, but how dense could people be?

“So a gay athlete was upset because two of his friends were talking about how having a thing with another guy would fuck up a professional athlete’s career?” Jack asked. “That surprises you? Especially when the athlete in question is someone he knows?”

Holster shifted from one foot to the other.

“I know man, but it wasn’t like they meant it was right that it would happen that way,” he said.

“And usually, he’d just get mad,” Ransom said. “It was like, on top of whatever else he was going through, this was personal.”

“Fine,” Jack said. “I just hope he’ll still talk to me.”

He went upstairs but before he could knock on Bitty’s door, Lardo slipped out of her room and shut the door behind her.

She beckoned him back to the top of the stairs, where she spoke in a low voice.

“You know he cares a whole lot about you, right?" she said. "I know you don't mean to hurt him, but. Be kind."

_Crisse._ Even his best friends thought he was bad for Bitty.

But his friends didn't know about their relationship, he told himself. His friends thought Bitty was hopelessly pining for him and he, what, tolerated it?  
He just nodded and went to knock on Bitty's door as Lardo went back into her room.

"Bitty?" he said after his knock. "It's me. Jack." 

He waited a moment.

"Bitty. Ransom and Holster called me. They're really worried about you. They said you dropped a pie."

There was a definite snuffling sound and feet shuffling towards the door. 

"They said you said you didn't want to talk to anyone, but they thought maybe you'd talk to me anyway. Bitty, please? Open the door and tell me what's going on? Then if you want I'll leave."

The lock clicked and the door swung open. The light from the hall shone on Bitty's mussed hair, and Jack could see his eyes and nose were red and swollen. A deep purple stain spread across the front of his pale blue shirt. 

"You're a mess," Bitty said, taking in Jack's rain-flattened hair and damp and wrinkled suit. "Why'd you come all this way? I told you I'm fine."

"But you're not, Bits," Jack said. "Don't lie to me to make me feel better. Can I come in?"

"Might as well, since you're here," Bitty said, turning and walking back to his bed, where it looked like he had been curled up. 

Jack sat next to him and looked at Bitty, who looked at the floor. 

"I wasn't lying, not really," Bitty said. "I'll be fine, and I didn't want to bother you with my problems."

"But I need to know what's going on," Jack said. "It's not bothering me. Did I do something to upset you?"

"No, Jack, you didn't do anything," Bitty said. "And when we're alone together it's great."

"So when we're not together ... or not alone ... it's not so great?" Jack asked. 

"It's just that it's hard, Jack," Bitty said. "It's hard because I'm always thinking about you, but I can't say anything. I have to be careful all the time, and I can never relax. Because if I do, I could fuck up your whole career, everything you've worked for, and I know hockey comes first. And then you'd hate me, and you'd be right to. I wouldn't blame you."

By the end of this speech Bitty was crying again, and Jack pulled him close so Bitty's head was nestled into Jack's chest, whispering " _Non, lapin,_ of course I'd never hate you. I love you so much."

Bitty's voice was so muffled that Jack almost didn't hear him say, "I think maybe we should break up so that doesn't happen. I really don't want to, but I'd hate myself if this ruins your career."

Jack loosened his hold and tilted Bitty's face up so Bitty could see that Jack was crying too.

"I'm so sorry," he said, and Bitty gasped a little, "that I didn't know how hard this was for you. I'm sorry I didn't realize I was making you have to be careful all the time, even in your own home. And I'm sorry I ever did anything to make you think hockey came before you."

Bitty dashed the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand and sat up and said, "But you said, when we talked about Kent Parson --"

" _Lapinou, mon coeur,_ listen to me," Jack said. "That was about Parse, and about me a long time ago. Not about you. Not ever about you. So if you don't really want to break up with me, let's not, OK?"

Bitty nodded, and reached up to kiss Jack. 

Jack kissed him back briefly and then pulled back. "But you can't go on like this. We can't go on like this. Would it help if you could talk about it with at least some people? Maybe not your whole team, but the people who live with you?"

Bitty nodded, but said, "You know the more people that know a secret ..."

"I know," Jack said. "And that means I should probably tell George, just in case something gets out, if that's OK with you. But I never meant to keep this secret forever."

"Of course that's OK," Bitty said. "And I'd kind of like to tell my mom?"

"Sure, Bits. I'd say I wanted to tell my parents, but I think they know. They ask after you every time we talk."

Bitty giggled, but Jack looked serious again.

"But Bitty, you can't keep doing this, trying to keep things like this to yourself," Jack said. "Your friends are really worried about you, and so was I once they told me what a state you were in. You have to trust me with your problems too, OK? That way we can work things out together."

Bitty hugged him tight and whispered,"I'm sorry" in his ear.

"No more of that," Jack said and turned and kissed his boyfriend. "Let's go break the news."

Jack knocked on Lardo's door and called, "Haus meeting in the kitchen. Bring Shitty. I know he's there."

He knocked on Chowder's door as well, then went downstairs to find Ransom and Holster absorbed in one of their indecipherable spreadsheets.

"Haus meeting in the kitchen," he said, with Bitty following him.

When everybody was assembled and Bitty had pulled out a tin of cookies ("Sorry there's no pie, y'all."), Jack said, "Bitty and I talked about what's been bothering him, and he decided it would be better to tell you what's going on. Bits?"

Bitty stood next to Jack, then rose up on his toes and cupped Jack's jaw in his hands and kissed him slowly and tenderly. There were some tentative calls of "Get it, Bitty!" (from Shitty) and "You go, Bits!" (Ransom) and "Aaaw!" (Chowder).

Bitty broke the kiss, grabbed Jack's hand and faced his friends.

"I'm in love with Jack, and Jack's in love with me," Bitty said. "The problem was keeping it a secret, especially from y'all. So please, it can't go any further, but I needed to feel safe talking about it here."

"Wait -- does that mean I can't tell --" Chowder started.  
"You can tell Farmer," Jack said. "And Nursey and Dex. They practically live here anyway."

"Cool," Chowder said, grabbing his phone.

Bitty looked at Jack.

"Now, how about we get you out of those wet clothes?

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/justlookfrightened)!


End file.
